Applicator for cosmetics and the like



um N g D s.- ilmvilnimwilunlmf anni vvdvww W\ Q `INVENTOR. fa/V0 ,45m/VB- D. ASTON APPLICATOR FOR COSMETICS AND THE LIKE Filed July e, 1964Nov. 7, 1967 United States Patent Oiitce 3.351,@74 Patented Nov. 7, 19673,351,074 APPLICATOR FOR COSMETICS AND THE LIKE Bruno D. Aston, 14421Autumn Moon Drive, Hacienda Heights, Calif. 91745 Fiiezt .luiy 5, 1964,Ser. No. tl 11 Claims. (Cl. 132-79) The present invention relates toapplicator devices and more particularly to a device useful to applyfluent cosmetic materials and the like.

Various refill cartridge-type cosmetic applicators have heretofore beenprovided whereby an outer case which is adapted to be carried in awomans purse has means for removably supporting and containing acartridge having therein various cosmetic materials, such as mascara,lip rouge and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide such a device whereinthe applicator means, namely, a brush, lining device or other typicalapplicator element carried by a portion of the case and wherein areplaceable cartridge is adapted to be disposed in the case and uponbeing engaged in a support for an end of the cartridge, `the cartridgeis opened to allow the flow of cosmetic material therefrom into theapplicator element.

Another object is to provide a cosmetic applicator wherein a replaceablecartridge is provided with a thin diaphragm or membrane sealing thecosmetic material within the cartridge and wherein the case or portionthereof adapted to receive the end of the cartridge is provided withmeans which will pierce the diaphragm and provide a tiow passage fromthe cartridge reservoir into the applicator element.

Another object is to provide a cartridge for use with a case wherein thecartridge contains a reservoir of fluent material and wherein the fluentmaterial in the reservoir is maintained under pressure, the cartridgebeing provided with means for positively dispensing a quantity of thematerial and forcing the material into an applicator element when thecartridge is assembled in relation to a case or a part of a case.

. More specically, an object of the invention is to provide a cosmeticcartridge assembly wherein an elongated housing is provided with a mainor supply reservoir containing a body of fluent material such as acosmetic material, this body of material being maintained underpressure, and wherein a second or dispenser reservoir is provided, andthere being means whereby upon the applica- `tion of pressure to aportion of the cartridge a quantity of the material is positivelydispensed from the dispenser reservoir and at the same time thedispenser reservoir is refilled by the material flowing from the mainreservoir.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter`described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, landthenovel features of the invention will be dened in the appended claims.

In theaccompanyin g drawings:

FIG. lis a longitudinal sectional view through an applicator assemblyincluding a replaceable cartridge made in accordance with thisinvention;

FIG- 2 is an exploded detail view with certain of the parts being shownin elevation and partially broken away, and illustrating the variouscomponents of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on an enlarged scaleas taken on line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal `section and on an enlargedscale, illustrating particularly the means for opening the inner end ofthe cartridge upon insertion of the latter into the nose of the case;

, FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail View in longitudinal sectionillustrating the relative positions assumed by the by-pass valve meansand dispenser means of the cartridge as material is forced into theapplicator element; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section illustratinga modified form of applicator element.

Lilie reference characters in the several views of the drawing and inthe following description designate corresponding parts.

The assembly generally comprises an outer elongate hollow case l, a nosesection 2, a closure cap 3, the nose having an applicator element 4iandthere being within the nose 2 one end of an elongate cartridge body 5,the other end of said body being disposed within the case 1.

The nose 2 has a body 6 threaded at one end as at 7 to receive acomplementary threaded bushing 8. In addition, the body 6 is suitablyroughened or knurled as at 9 so as to assist in the frictional holdingthereon of the open end of the closure cap 3. Within the body 6 the noseis bored as at 1i) and counterbored at 11; while externally of the nosebody it has a tapered extension 12 terminating in a generally conicalend 13 having an opening 14 therethrough.

Mounted within the opening 14 and projecting outwardly therefrom is theapplicator element d, which as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be in theform of a porous pointed body retained within a bushing 15 having aninner ange 16 abutting within the bore 16 against a shoulder 17 toprevent outward passage of the applicator element 4. Within theapplicator element 4 is an elongated tubular member 13 constituting aconduit for the conduction of fluent material to the applicator element,this member 1S having an end 19 sharpened as by cutting the member at anangle, and this sharpened end constituting piercing means for opening acartridge as will be hereinatter more fully described.

The cartridge body 5 has an elongated cylindrical section 20 mergingwith a reduced diameter cylindrical section 21 adapted to tit Within thecounterbore 11 of the nose 2, there being at this end of the body 5 afurther reduced diameter cylindrical section 22 adapted to tit withinthe bore -10 of the nose 2. At the other end of the cartridge body 5,the latter is provided with a plug 23 having a stem 2li disposed withinthe open end of the cartridge body and having an annular groove 25 intowhich the side wall of the body 5 is crimped to maintain the plug inassembled position in the end of the body 5.

Disposed within the cylindrical cartridge body section 21 is a barriermember 26 having a slip fit within the caltridge body section 21 andhaving a central passage 27 therethrough. This passage 27 leads to anenlarged bore 28 within the barrier member 26 and the bore 28 is incommunication With the interior of the reduced diameter end portion 22of the cartridge body 5. It will be noted that the end 22 of thecartridge body has an opening 29 in its end wall 30 and that thisopening is closed as seen in FIG. 2 by a thin closure diaphragm ormembrane 31, which in the illustrative embodiment is constituted by anend wall of a plastic tubular insert 32 which tits within the cartridgeend section 22 and has a central opening or dispenser chamber 33therein.

As hereinabove noted, the end 19 of the tubular member 18 carried by theapplicator t constitutes means for opening the cartridge when insertedinto the nose. More particularly, it will now be understood that thisend 19' of the tubular member 18, by virtue of its being cut at an angleas shown inFIG. 4, is adapted to pierce the membrane 31 when thecartridge end 22 is inserted into the nose 2.

The internal chamber delined within the member 26 by the provision ofthe bore 28 and the space within the cartridge end 22 constitutes adispensing `reservoir generally denoted at DR, while the space withinthe cartridge body lying between the member 26 and the plug 24constitutes a main supply reservoir SR.

in accordance with certain of the features of the present invention,means are provided for maintaining iiuent material within the supplyreservoir SR under pressure in order to force such fluent material intothe dispensing reservoir when desired. In addition, means are providedfor controlling the passage of fluent material from the supply reservoirto the dispensing reservoir and for dispensing from the latter aquantity of the iiuent material for forcing the latter into theapplicator element 4.

As herein illustrated the means for maintaining the fluid in the supplyreservoir under pressure comprises an annular follower piston 34slidably disposed within the supply reservoir and having a pair ofannular sealing lips 35 and 36 adapted to be maintained in sealingcontact with the cylindrical walls of an actuator plunger 37 and thecartridge case 5, respectively. The piston 34 carries a skirt 37 whichconstitutes means for ecntering a pressure applying compression spring3S which acts at one end against the piston 34 and which abuts at theother end With the inner face of the plug 2.3 so as to constantly biasthe piston 34 inwardly in the supply reservoir and thereby maintain thefluent material therein under pressure tending to cause it to How intothe dispensing reservoir.

Such ow is controlled by means of a Valve device comprising acylindrical valve head 39 which is reciprocable within the passageway oropening 27 extended through the member 26 in the cartridge body section21. A valve operator stem 40 having a reduced diameter section 41 and alongitudinally slotted portion 42 is suitably connected to or formed asa part of the plunger 37 so that the valve 39 will be caused to movelongitudinally within the passageway 27 upon longitudinal movement ofthe plunger 37. In this connection, the valve operator stem 4t) isillustrated as having an end 43 disposed in a socket 44 in the inner endof the plunger 37.

Means are provided for normally biasing the plunger 37 outwardly withrespect to the cartridge body 5 and for normally biasing the valve 39into a closed position in the passageway 27. Such means is illustratedas being constituted by a coiled compression spring 45 disposed about adispenser ram 46 which extends longitudinally from the valve 39, thespring 45 engaging at one end with the valve 39 and at the other endwith the plastic insert 32.

The plunger 37 is suitably provided with means to limit outward movementthereof responsive to the pressure applied by the spring 45, and suchmeans may typically comprise a suitable radial projection engageablewith the plug 23. As herein shown, the plunger 37 has a pair ofcircumferentially spaced flange sections 47 separated by an air slot 48so that the follower piston 34 will not be air locked, it being notablealso in this connection that the plug 23 is provided with an oversizedbore 49 therethrough for the passage of air into the cartridge body 5.

In the assembly of the subject device, it will be observed that thesmall end 22 of the cartridge body 5 is simply inserted into the nose 2until the end wall 30 comes into abutment with the end flange 16 of thebushing 15. As a result of insertion of the end of the cartridge intothe nose as noted above, the pointed end 19 of the tubular member 1Swill pierce the diaphragm 31 so as to establish communication betweenthe porous applicator element 4 and the dispenser reservoir DR throughthe dispenser chamber 33 in the insert 32. Thereafter, the case 1 may beslipped endwise over the plunger 37 so as to seat upon the bushing 8 ofthe nose body 6, and when desired, the cap 3 may be frictionally appliedto the other end of the nose 2.

In the use of the applicator, when it is desired to dispense from thedispenser reservoir DR a quantity of the material contained therein,thumb pressure is applied to the outer extremity of the plunger 37 tocause inward movement of the same. This will result in axial movement ofthe dispenser ram 46 into the dispenser chamber 33, as

shown in FIG. 5, whereby a quantity of the cosmetic or other fluentmaterial will be positively displaced through the tubular member 18 intothe porous applicator element 4. At the same time, it will be noted thatthe valve 39 has been caused to move longitudinally out of thepassageway 27 so that the latter is open at both ends and communicateswith the dispenser reservoir and the supply reservo-ir by virtue of theslots 42 which extend longitudinally of the slotted portion 42 of thestem 40. Therefore, it will now be noted that the dispenser reservoirwill be supplied with fluent cosmetic or other material from the supplyreservoir under the pressure supplied by the follower piston 34 so as torefill the dispenser reservoir,

When thumb pressure is relieved from the plunger 37, the valve 39 willfirst move into the passage 27 to close ctic the communication betweenthe supply and dispenser reservoirs and the dispenser ram 46 will thenbe withdrawn from the dispenser chamber 33. By virtue of the spacialrelations between the valve 39 and the working end of the dispenser ram46, the fluent material in the dispenser reservoir cannot be pressurizedby the piston 34 while the dispenser chamber 33 is in open communicationbetween the dispenser reservoir and the applicator element 4.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a modified form of applicatorelement in the nature of a brush 4 composed of a plurality of bristlesconfined within the bushing l5. Otherwise the structure is the same. Itwill be understood, however, that a brush such as that shown in FIG. 6would be useful in certain applications, such as for example, theapplying of lip rouge, whereas a rigid pointed applicator element asshown at 4 in the first described embodiment may be useful in theapplication of mascara and the like. However, various forms and types ofapplicator elements may be embodied with various types of fluentmaterials and the present invention is not limited in this respect.

While specific details of the invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it lshould be understood that changes and alterations may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cosmetic or like fluent material applicator comprising: anelongated assemblage of a nose and a case removably carried by saidnose; applicator means projecting from said nose; a separate cartridgeassembly having one end removably engaged in said nose and the other endprojecting from said case; a body of fluent material in said cartridge;said one end of said cartridge having means openable upon engagementwith said nose to permit the flow of said liuent material to saidapplicator means; and means in said cartridge operable from said otherend thereof to control flow of said iiuent material from `said cartridgeinto said applicator means.

2. A cosmetic or like iiuent material applicator comprising: anelongated assemblage of a nose and a case removably carried by saidnose; applicator means projecting from said nose; a cartridge having oneend removably engaged in said nose and the other end projecting fromsaid case; a body of iiuent material in said cartridge; said one end ofsaid cartridge having openable means closing the same; means carried bysaid nose for opening said openable means upon engagement of said oneend of said cartridge with said nose to permit the flow of said iiuentmaterial to said applicator means; and means in said cartridge operablefrom said other end thereof to controllably force said fluent materialinto said applicator means.

3. A cosmetic or like fluent material applicator comprising: anelongated assemblage of a nose and a case removably carried by saidnose; applicator means projecting from said nose; a replaceablecartridge assembly having one end removably engaged in said nose and theother end projecting from said case; a body of fluent materialmaintained under pressure lin said cartridge; said one end of saidcartridge having a diaphragm normally closing the same; piercing meanshaving a passage for conducting said iiuent material from said body tosaid applicator means; said piercing means piercing through saiddiaphragm upon engagement of said one end of said cartridge with saidnose to permit the flow of said fluent material to said applicatormeans; and means in said cartridge including an actuating memberoperable from said other end of said cartridge to controllably forcepredetermined amounts of said iiuent material through said passage intosaid applicator means.

4. A dispenser device for cosmetic or like fluent material applicators,comprising: an elongated body; a plunger reeiprocable in said body andprojecting therefrom at one end; barrier means in said body dividing thesame into a dispenser reservoir and a supply reservoir; a uent materialin said reservoirs; dispenser means including a ram operable by saidplunger to forcibly dispense a quantity of said fluent material fromsaid dispenser reservoir; and means for refilling said dispenserreservoir from said supply reservoir, including spring urged means insaid supply reservoir for pressurizing the uent material therein.

5. A dispenser device for cosmetic or like fluent material applicators,comprising: an elongated body; a plunger reeiprocable in said body andprojecting therefrom at one end; barrier means in said body dividing thesame into a dispenser reservoir and a supply reservoir; a fluentmaterial in said reservoirs; dispenser means including a ram operable bysaid plunger to forcibly dispense a quantity of said iluent materialfrom said dispenser reservoir; means for refilling said dispenserreservoir from said supply reservoir including means in said supplyreservoir for pressurizing the iiuent material therein; and valve meansoperable by said plunger to control the passage of said fluent materialfrom said supply reservoir to said dispenser reservoir, said valve meansbeing opened during operation of said dispenser means.

6. A dispenser device for cosmetic or like fluent material, including atubular casing with an applicator at one end arranged to receive thefluent material through a tubular piercing member from a cartridgeassembly replaceably positioned within the casing, said cartridgecomprising: an elongate hollow body; a plunger reciprocable in said bodyand projecting therefrom at one end; barrier means in said body dividingthe same into a dispenser reservoir and a supply reservoir; a fluentmaterial in said reservoirs; said barrier means having an openingtherethrough; a stem connected to said plunger and extending throughsaid opening; a valve on said stem engageable in said opening to closethe same; a dispenser ram projecting from said stem through saiddispenser reservoir; a dispenser chamber at the other end of said bodyhaving closure means at one end adapted to be pierced by the piercingmember, when the cartridge is operably positioned in the casing, saidchamber having an opening at its other end adapted to receive the ramendwise into the chamber; means normally holding said stem in a positionwith said valve closing said opening through said barrier means and saiddispenser ram withdrawn from said dispenser chamber; and means forpressurizing said fluent material in said supply reservoir.

7. A dispenser device according to claim 6, wherein the means forpressurizing the iluent material in the supply reservoir includes apower piston shiftably surrounding said plunger in said supplyreservoir; and means for urging said power piston towards said dispenserreservoir.

8. As an article of manufacture, a replaceable cartridge assembly fordispensing applicator devices for cosmetics or like fluent materials,comprising: an elongate hollow body; a barrier member dividing said bodyinto longitudinally spaced supply and dispenser reservoirs; a plungerreciprocably disposed in said body and projecting therefrom at one end;by-pass valve means in said barrier member for permitting the flow .ofuent material from said supply reservoir to said dispenser reservoirupon inward movement of said plunger and for preventing such flow uponoutward movement of said plunger; means for pressurizing the fluentmaterial in said supply reservoir; dispenser means in said `dispenserreservoir operable concurrently with said by-pass valve means todispense a quantity of fluent material from said dispenser reservoir atthe other end of said body when said bypass valve means -is open; andopenable means normally closing said other end of said body prior toplacement of the cartridge into an operative position in an associateddispensing device.

9. An article of manufacture according to claim 8, wherein the uentpressurizing means comprises an annular follower piston surrounding saidplunger in said supply reservoir and sealingly engaged with said bodyand with said plunger, said follower piston being normally biasedtowards said barrier member.

10. An article of manufacture accord-ing to claim 8, wherein thedispenser means includes a dispenser ram in said dispenser reservoir; adispenser chamber at said other end of said body having an outlet endclosed by said openable means, and an inlet opening at its other en-d incommunication with the dispenser reservoir and adapted to receive theram endwise into said chamber; a spring in said dispenser reservoirurging said ram away from said dispenser chamber inlet opening to aposition spaced therefrom; and means limiting movement of said ram awayfrom said dispenser opening to a position at which said valve is closed.

11. An article of manufacture according to claim 10, wherein the meansfor limiting said movement of said ram comprises co-engaged stops onsaid plunger and said body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 921,130 5/1909 Luckwood 128-2181,578,922 3/ 1926 Sargery 132-84 1,790,914 2/1931 Gray.

1,970,198 8/ 1934 MolyneuX-Seel et al. 132-745 2,116,888 5/1938 Grodka132-745 2,552,155 5 1951 Danielson 222-81 2,981,026 4/1961 Wedrall12S-218 3,217,720 11/ 1965 Cyzer 222-81 RICHARD A. GAUDET, PrimaryExaminer.

G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COSMETIC OR LIKE FLUENT MATERIAL APPLICATOR COMPRISING: ANELONGATED ASSEMBLAGE OF A NOSE AND A CASE REMOVABLY CARRIED BY SAIDNOSE; APPLICATOR MEANS PROJECTING FROM SAID NOSE; A SEPARATE CARTRIDGEASSEMBLY HAVING ONE END REMOVABLY ENGAGED IN SAID NOSE AND THE OTHER ENDPROJECTING FROM SAID CASE; A BODY OF FLUENT MATERIAL IN SAID CARTRIDGE;SAID ONE END OF SAID CARTRIDGE HAVING MEANS OPENABLE UPON ENGAGEMENTWITH SAID NOSE TO PERMIT THE FLOW OF SAID FLUENT MATERIAL TO SAIDAPPLICATOR MEANS; AND MEANS IN SAID CARTRIDGE OPERABLE FROM SAID OTHEREND THEREOF TO CONTROL FLOW OF SAID FLUENT MATERIAL FROM SAID CARTRIDGEINTO SAID APPLICATOR MEANS.